US 11,777,420 B2
Submodule as a parallel serial full bridge for a modular multilevel converter
Viktor Hofmann, Bayreuth (DE); Mark-Matthias Bakran, Erlangen (DE); and Sebastian Semmler, Nuremberg (DE)
Assigned to Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich (DE)
Appl. No. 17/928,133
Filed by Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Munich (DE)
PCT Filed Apr. 30, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/061417
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 28, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/239388, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20177503 (EP), filed on May 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0216427 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. H02M 7/483 (2007.01); H02M 1/00 (2006.01); H02M 1/084 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 7/4835 (2021.05) [H02M 1/0074 (2021.05); H02M 1/084 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A submodule for a modular multilevel power converter, comprising:
a first semiconductor switch, a fourth semiconductor switch and an eighth semiconductor switch forming a first series connection between a first connector and a second connector of the submodule, with the first semiconductor switch connected to the fourth semiconductor switch at a first network node, and with the fourth semiconductor switch connected to the eighth semiconductor switch at a fourth network node, the first semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the first network node to the first connector, the fourth semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the first network node to the fourth network node, and the eighth semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the second connector to the fourth network node;
a second semiconductor switch, a sixth semiconductor switch and a ninth semiconductor switch forming a second series connection between the first connector and the second connector and connected in parallel with the first series connection, with the second semiconductor switch connected to the sixth semiconductor switch at a second node, and with the sixth semiconductor switch connected to the ninth semiconductor switch at a fifth node, the second semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the second network node to the first connector, the sixth semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the second network node to the fifth network node, and the ninth semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the second connector to the fifth network node;
a third semiconductor switch, a fifth semiconductor switch and a seventh semiconductor switch forming a third series connection between the first connector and the second connector and connected in parallel with the first and the second series connection, with the third semiconductor switch connected to the fifth semiconductor switch at a third node, and with the fifth semiconductor switch connected to the seventh semiconductor switch at a sixth node, the third semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the first connector to the third network node, the fifth semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the sixth network node to the third network node, and the seventh semiconductor switch configured to disconnect a current flowing from the sixth network node to the second connector;
a first capacitor connected between the first node and the third node;
a second capacitor connected between the second node and the third node;
a third capacitor connected between the fourth node and the sixth node; and
a fourth capacitor connected between the fifth node and the sixth node.